Mongrain's comprehensive study of von Balthasar's thought suggests that von Balthasar intended his theology to be a retrieval of several themes in the theology of the church father, Irenaeus of Lyons. One key element is the idea of corpus triforme christology, which views the incarnate Word as a complex expression of divine mystery. This mystery interprets itself in a number of unities -- the unity of the Old and New Covenants, the unity of creation and redemption, and the unity of Christ and Church. Irenaeus also offers von Balthasar ways to resist the danger of gnosticism, which he saw as an ongoing temptation in modern theology and philosophy. Unifying several of these elements, Von Balthasar uses "doxology" as a rule for guiding Christian theology. Mongrain concludes this exploration of von Balthasar with a critique of his thought from within, showing additional ways that von Balthasar could have carried out his own rule of theological resistance to gnosticism.

Author: Kevin Mongrain
246 pages